Original news and analysis on international IP policy
US senators Patrick Leahy (Democrat, Vermont) and Arlen Specter (Republican, Pennsylvania), the leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee, warned the US Trade Representative not to negotiate an overly broad Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), and criticised the Bush administration for not…
Construction of a new office building at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) continues apace, with the expected completion date for the CHF153 million (US$137 million) project, October 2010, still on track (IPW, WIPO, 26 September 2008). When completed, the…
By Monika Ermert for Intellectual Property Watch In September 2009, the joint project agreement between the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and the United States government comes to a close. Now the organisation responsible for coordinating the…
By Liza Porteus Viana for Intellectual Property Watch
NEW YORK - As the value of intellectual property increases in the innovation economy, an increasing number of IP owners are trying to guard their ideas and innovations through business-method patents, international trade agreements, biological patents and other forms of protection.
But amid the economic crisis roiling the financial markets around the world and trickling down to Main Street, intellectual property owners often need to weigh the costs and benefits of protecting their IP assets through litigation. Many companies say it is hard-knock times like these that make protecting their intellectual property even more vital.
By Kaitlin Mara World Intellectual Property Organization members last Friday set up a working group to consider improvements to an international agreement on appellations of origin – names of products reflecting particular cultural or environmental aspects of a geographic location.…
A much-heralded 2003 waiver to World Trade Organization intellectual property rules aimed at helping poor countries receive needed medicines they cannot produce themselves has brought little if any help five years later, according to governments and public health advocates. The…
By Bruce Gain for Intellectual Property Watch
Five years and over 30,000 lawsuits later, both sides in the music industry's legal battle against illegal file-sharing in the United States claim they are prevailing.
By Liza Porteus Viana for Intellectual Property Watch In the waning days of this congressional session in the United States, US lawmakers are passing a flurry of intellectual property-related bills. One of the bills awaiting President Bush’s signature would create…
The Council of the European Union has prepared a confidential draft contribution to the World Intellectual Property Organization gap analyses on traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions, which will be discussed at the WIPO Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore from 13 to 17 October.
By William New Member governments of the UN World Intellectual Property Organization concluded this year’s annual assemblies with high optimism for the future of the intellectual property system and for the organisation. “We’re glad to see WIPO back to its…
By William New and Kaitlin Mara Member governments of the World Intellectual Property Organization completed their annual General Assemblies earlier than scheduled this year, but some of the most difficult decisions – such as the budget – will be addressed…
By Liza Porteus Viana for Intellectual Property Watch
When the new administration and Congress come into office following the November elections in the United States, the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries will prioritise protection of their intellectual property and innovative biological drugs as the push for cheaper, generic versions gets stronger. Patent reform also will continue to be a lobbying priority, as well as making sure intellectual property is protected in any forthcoming international trade agreements.